Harrison’s Landing, July 31, 1862
Dear Parents:-
Your letter of the 23rd was received last Monday morning. I must confess it was not as long or interesting as it might have been. We have more facilities here for obtaining army news than you at home in Pennsylvania, so we do not care about letters treating exclusively of movements which Pope, Burnside, or McClellan have made or are likely to make. Home letters or letters containing home news are the ones we must [most?] desire, even if they give no news of importance but merely treat of the number of pigs, chickens, cows, etc. which you happen to have. It is not necessary that strange occurrences and striking events be chronicled in order that your letters be read with satisfaction and interest.
Nothing of importance has transpired since I last wrote you, except that night before last the gunboats of the rebels came down the river below Fort Darling and are still there. I do not know how many there are of them, but they are not more than eight or ten miles above us and are in sight of our upper gunboats. I was down at the wharf this morning and could see eight of our gunboats with the Monitor lying up the river in line of battle with steam up ready for action if called on. We have more gunboats a few miles above—two or three miles, perhaps—in line of battle, and yet above them two or three more dong ”picket duty.” These latter are in sight of the rebel vessels. The Monitor exchanged shots with the Merrimac, No. 2, yesterday. In all probability we will have a naval engagement before long.
Many of those reported mortally wounded are recovering, Robert Bell is not dead as supposed. He was in a hospital in Richmond the last I heard of him and recovering from his wound. Tell Miles that [Corporal Edwin] Pier of Co. I has died of his wounds; that Corporal Matt Fulton has been released and is now in Baltimore in the hospital and that Cos. Baker is at Fortress Monroe. He was reported wounded and missing. I saw Everill Chadwick last night. He is well as are also all the Rockland boys.
But I have already exceeded the length of your last and so will close. It is needless for me to say that I would like to hear from Mother and the boys. Affectionately yours, J. D. Chadwick
Next posting: August 13, 2012
Jonathan E. Helmreich
College Historian
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA 16335